Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow speaks at the fifth annual Empower Mississippi Solutions Summit. During his presentation he spoke about faith, family and the importance of individualized support to children. (Photo by Jeremy Pittari | Magnolia Tribune)
- “Why is school choice so important? Because we’re not all created the same,” the Heisman Trophy winner said.
Attendees at Empower Mississippi’s fifth annual Solutions Summit heard from Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow on Wednesday in Jackson. The former college football national champion turned analyst and author spoke about the importance of providing individualized education support to children.
Tebow’s message was clear – parents, children and families thrive when they find love, care and an educational experience that meets their needs.
Tebow, who had dyslexia, was famously homeschooled as a child but under Florida law was allowed to play sports at his local public high school which led him to play at the University of Florida. He said his learning challenge was overcome through support and mentorship. To Tebow, all children need a similar level of support to find the confidence that allows them to achieve.
Tebow told listeners that about 60 percent of female high school students have some form of depression, while 1 in 3 have seriously considered committing suicide. Overall, 70 percent of teenagers experience worry, loneliness and/or hopelessness.
Those statistics led Tebow to see that most states are falling short of meeting young people’s needs, including in their K-12 education. That is why he said he challenges the definition of a good education.
“Because we think of education as just reading, writing and arithmetic or just where you go to school,” Tebow said. “But education in its Latin form means ‘to lead into.’ Where are we trying to lead boys and girls into and what does it really mean to have a good education?”
What he would like to see educators, parents and mentors focus on are each child’s strengths, and not filling their heads with statements like, “You can be anything you want to be.”
“Why would you tell them that?” Tebow asked. “You’re talking to a 12-year-old who has dreams of being LeBron James. If he can’t dribble, he ain’t going be LeBron James. You can’t. He probably has a different, awesome, unique gift, but when we tell kids, ‘You can go and you can be whatever you want to be,’ sometimes we just don’t have that gift. But what we should tell kids is that whatever you choose to be you have the chance to be your best in doing that.”
Another statistic he shared shows that people spend about 12 percent of their day looking at social media and comparing themselves to others. He suggests a different approach.
“In my opinion, it starts in being valued and believed in,” Tebow said.
That is why he believes families should have the ability to make their own choices for their own children based on their own values and beliefs.
“Because every family situation is so different. It’s different for different abilities and different disabilities,” Tebow said. “It’s different for families with dyslexia.”
Diagnosed with dyslexia in the seventh grade, he admitted that before his medical determination his competitive nature prompted him to memorize educational material assigned to him, but after his diagnosis a tutor provided the skills he still uses to this day.
“Why is school choice so important? Because we’re not all created the same,” Tebow said. “We have the same value and worth. But we should have the opportunity to learn in a different way. And you know, when I learned this, I applied it to every area of my life.”
Ultimately, Tebow said what really gave him the foundation he needed to reach his goals was the support of his family.
Over 30 states have passed what is referred to the “Tim Tebow Act,” allowing homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities.
The Mississippi House of Representatives has passed that measure in previous sessions, but it has died in the Senate. It is now included in this year’s HB 2, the Mississippi Education Freedom Act, which awaits consideration in the Senate.
In addition, Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar (R) has also filed a version of the “Tim Tebow Act” this session. It also awaits action in his committee.
Jeremy Pittari
